Faculty

Daniela Cepero

Contemporary Ballet

Daniela Cepero was born in the city of Cienfuegos, Cuba. Her love for dance clicked for the first time at the age of 8 at the open door auditions of the vocational school of art “Beny More”, where she trained for 5 arduous years in fundamental styles such as Ballet, Cuban Modern Dance Technique, Folklore, Physical Preparation and Acrobatics and Creativity and Improvisation Workshop. Thanks to the rigorous dance education program during her training at the elementary school of art, Daniela passed the end of her level test with the best score at the national level, and because of this she was awarded a scholarship to continue her medium level studies at the prestigious National School of Arts, in La Havana. After 3 years, she completed her studies with highly satisfactory academic results and was selected as an honorary student which allowed her to complete her pre-professional practices under the National Cuban Contemporary Dance Company “Danza Contemporánea De Cuba” directed at that time and currently by the legendary Miguel Iglesias. At the end of her pre-professional internship, she received the official position of dancer in the same company, where she had the pleasure of working with prestigious choreographers of national and international renown, and dancing in iconic theaters around the world. In 2020, Daniela was invited to be part of the renowned Contemporary Dance Company “Otro Lado” directed by Norge Cedeño, where she received her first level as a professional dancer and in which she found her identity as a bearer of this art. “Other Side” opened new doors in the field of dance, and it is here that she began to materialize her choreographic skills . Being part of this group, she had the pleasure of assisting choreographically great works of Cuban dance repertory such as “Hybrid” by Norge Cedeño for the dance company “Acosta Danza”, directed by the prestigious Carlos Acosta, as well as “Stabat Mater” for the National Company of Italy “Aterballetto”. Daniela Cepero has graced some of the world’s most prestigious stages such as “The Joyce Theater” and “The National Mexican Auditorium” and has performed iconic roles earning acclaim for her powerful presence, artistry and passion. In 2023 she moved to the United States, thus continuing not only her professional career, but also her vocation as a dance teacher, addressing new fields of this art such as: Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop. Daniela is currently part of the companies “STYX” and “Ballet Florida”, complementing her professional career also as a teacher, encouraging the love of dance in students in training and helping them achieve their personal goals.

Carly LaFlamme

Children's Division

Carly has had a love for dance since she began taking classes at 3 years old. She trained at Florida School for Dance Education and performed with Dance Theater of Florida for many years, and through that developed her passion for teaching the next generation of dancers. Carly holds a degree in Early Childhood Education, and has trained in the Vaganova ballet syllabus program. She has earned her Florida Childcare Professional Credential as well as her Directors Credential. Carly adores working with children and helping them learn, grow and develop a love for dance.

Carol Pakri

Outreach Program and Children’s Division Director

Mrs. Pakri began her dance training at the David Taylor Dance Theatre in Littleton, Colorado. After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet performance (with honors) at the University of Oklahoma, Mrs. Pakri danced with Oklahoma Festival Ballet, David Taylor Dance Theatre, and Colorado Ballet. Mrs. Pakri has been teaching for 20 years. She served as director for the youth ballet company at Spotlight Performing Arts Academy, school principal/principal teacher at the Academy of Colorado Ballet South, and was on the staff of Houston Ballet Academy. In 2006, Mrs. Pakri joined the staff at The Royal Ballet School in London, England, where she taught for seven years and directed their outreach program. While there, she graduated from The Royal Ballet School Professional Dancers Teachers Course, with distinction.

Elizabeth Bortz

Contemporary

Jennifer Wheat

Guest Teacher - Ballet

Jennifer Wheat, originally from Michigan, Ms. Wheat trained with Rose Marie Floyd and The Contemporary Civic Ballet of Michigan. She also received scholarships to study with the Boston Ballet School with Violette Verdy, The Royal Winnepeg Ballet School and The School of the Pennsylvania Ballet under the Direction of Lupe Serrano. In 1981 after an auto accident, which ended her ballet career, she switched to jazz and was a student with The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and the Lou Conte Dance School in Chicago, where she was an apprentice with Hubbard Street Dance Company: Jennifer also danced professionally with Astral Theatrical Dance Company, DanceFusion and performed in music video's for the band Survivor. She has taught ballet and jazz for Rose Marie Floyd School of Dance in Michigan, Maywood Academy of Dance in Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Centre for Ballet in Media, Pa and Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center in Philadelphia. Ms. Wheat was Ballet Mistress for Delaware County Ballet from 1988 - 1996. She was the Founding Director/Choreographer for fusion2 Dance Company, a training ground for young dancers, from 1995-1998 at Gwendolyn Bye Dance Centre. She has choreographed several local musicals such as "Angels over Penn," for the University of Pennsylvania and Narberth Community Theatre and Curtis Institute of Music and The Mann Center in Philadelphia. Jennifer was Principal Ballet Teacher and a Ballet Mistress for The Rock School West from 1995 - 2013. Ms. Wheat is currently a Ballet Mistress for The Rock School for Dance Education since 1999.

Jerry Opdenaker

Artistic Director and Production Director

A Philadelphia native, Mr. Opdenaker holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in Choreography from Jacksonville University. During his 22-year performing career, he was a principal artist with Pennsylvania Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and Ballet Florida. Mr. Opdenaker launched Ballet Florida’s choreographic workshop (STEP Ahead), and was selected to participate in Ballet Builders 2003, New York City Ballet’s 2005 Choreographic Institute, and the 2007 National Choreographic Initiative. He has created works for Ballet Arkansas, Ballet Florida, Ballet Gamonet, Florida Dance Theatre, Island Moving Company, Milwaukee Ballet, McKnight Foundation, National Ballet del Peru, New York City Ballet, South Carolina Ballet, New Orleans Ballet Theatre, and Florida Grand Opera. Mr. Opdenaker served as adjunct professor of dance at Florida Southern College and as guest faculty member at University of Utah, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Ballet Concierto, and Cincinnati Ballet, and served as the National Discipline Coordinator of Dance for YoungArts for five years. He founded and directs O DANCE, a dance company that promotes new collaborative creations from visual and movement artists from inception to performance. He also continues to work in the arts community as a Character Artist, Stage Manager and Choreographer as well as being a Pilates instructor.

Kenny Easter

Guest Artist

Born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Kenny received his professional training in San Francisco and at the Boston Ballet. He has had a diverse ballet career, having danced for Boston Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. Kenny has performed with the San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Ballet Arizona. In 2003 he joined the American Ballet Theatre, and his repertory with the company includes the Young Soldier in The Green Table, and leading roles in Drink to Me Only Thine Eyes, Sechs Tanze, and Sinfonietta, and Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison. Kenny has served as a guest teacher all over the U.S. and internationally and serves on faculty at the ABT Summer Program. He enjoys working with young dancers and seeks out opportunities to teach and choreograph, nurturing new talent.

Lauren Bell-Borro

Musical Theater

Ms. Bell-Borro has extensive experience in dance and musical theater. She performed with The Wick Theater & Museum Club, Palm Beach Dramaworks and Actors' Playhouse. She has a Master of Science Degree in the Entertainment Business from Full Sail University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Maggie McNeilly

Ballet

Maria Hernandez Cordoba

Hip Hop

Maria Hernandez began her dance training in 2010 at the age of sixteen in West Palm Beach, Florida at Sean’s Dance Factory under the direction and training of Sean Green. In 2012 she became a Hip Hop instructor at Spotlight of Wellington, and shortly after became an instructor at Sean’s Dance Factory. Her training and dance experience have led her to come up with her own distinctive style of Hip Hop, believing that dance is an art form of expression and a lifestyle. She has performed on productions at the Broward Performing Arts Center, the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, and was featured her own piece at the choreographer’s showcase in Miami. You might have seen her as a backup dancer for James Cove, and dancing on stage with Sugarhill Gang. She remains a continuous student training with some of the top choreographers in the Hip Hop community such as Dondraico ‘Draico’ Johnson, Ellen Kim, Jillian Meyers, Marty Kudelka, Dexter Carr, Chris Grant, Chuck Maldonado, Aisha Francis, Kevin Maher, Nick DeMoura, and many more. Her training has allowed her not only to perform but also to train and direct her students onto the World of Dance competition, never forgetting the main elements of Hip Hop to be the base of their elaborate pieces of competition and performance. Maria believes that her love for dance can be spread and can help dancers of all ages grow and develop their craft with strong self-confidence, allowing them to build their passion and follow their dreams.

Maureen Gil Garcia

Ballet

Maxey Bormuth

Children's Division

Maxey received her BFA in Dance from Florida State University. She graduated from A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and danced with REACH Dance Theatre Collective. She attended summer training programs with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Thodos Dance Chicago and then continued her training at Florida State University and guest performed with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After college she lived in Chicago, Illinois performing for freelance projects, outreach in the Chicago public schools and professional dance companies: Chicago Verge Dance Company, Esoteric Dance Project, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Piel Morena Contemporary Dance and Tapestry Dance Company. Maxey toured to Queretaro, Mexico with Piel Morena Contemporary Dance to perform at “Encuentro Danza Contempanea”. Maxey then returned home to South Florida and has since performed at “Project Dance” in Orlando, Florida with Tapestry Dance Company. Maxey is also a certified 200 RYT yoga instructor and a member of the Yoga Alliance. She has the privilege and joy of teaching dance and yoga in the local community.

Michele Zehner

Executive Director

Ms Zehner trained with John White and Margarita De Saa from National Ballet of Cuba. She has also studied with Pennsylvania Ballet and Boston Ballet with Violette Verdi, as well as in New York with Madame Darvash, David Howard and Robert Denver. She received a full scholarship to Harkness Ballet and an apprenticeship with Hartford Ballet. Michele’s professional dance career included The San Antonio Ballet and Ballet Klos. Ms Zehner has focused on pedagogy and training dancers for over 25 years. She has studied under such greats as Gilbert Mayer, Ruth Petronovic and John White and is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 7 & Partnering of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique. As an instructor, Michele has taught at Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, Pennsylvania Centre for Ballet and The Rock School. Some of Michele’s students have gone on to dance professionally with New York City Ballet, Washington Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Pacific Northwest, San Francisco Ballet and Broadway shows. Ms Zehner has been an Artist in Residence at BAK MSOA as well as Dreyfoos School for the Arts and sat on the board of the Florida Dance Association. She was the director of Florida School for Dance Education and one of the founding members of Dance Theater of Florida. She continues to teach guest classes nationally when time permits.

Rachel Hart

Children’s Division

Rachel began her dance education at the age of 3 at a ballet school in Beloit, Wisconsin. At age 10, she transitioned to a competitive dance studio, where she trained intensively in a wide variety of styles including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern, Clogging, Hip Hop, and Musical Theater. From ages 10 to 18, Rachel competed in numerous regional and national competitions and attended prestigious workshops and conventions such as NYCDA and Dupree Dance. These opportunities allowed her to train under renowned master instructors and broaden her technique and performance experience. At 17, she began co-teaching at her home studio, marking the start of her teaching career. While attending Rockford University, Rachel performed with the university’s dance company, continuing her development as both a performer and educator. Rachel is passionate about ongoing education in dance and continues to take classes to refine her skills and stay current with industry trends.

Shizu Yasuda

Contemporary

Toni Lipscher

Jazz and Acro

Ms Lipscher began her dance education in Homestead, Florida. While a student there she participated in Miss Dance of Florida finishing in the top 10. From there she attended Florida State University where she danced for the Golden Girls and was voted Captain by her peers. In 1988, she was selected by College Dance Championship board to perform in the Opening Number. After college, she danced with the Miami Heat Dancers (captain, 1 year), the Eagles Cheerleaders (chosen to be in the video, NFL’s Hottest Cheerleaders, and the New Jersey Nets. She has also danced with Xanadu Dance Company. Toni has taught Hip Hop and Jazz at Atlantic Arts Academy and is proud to be a current member of REACH Dance Company and thrilled to be a teacher at Dance Theater of Florida.